The present invention is generally directed towards stereoscopic image synthesis and more particularly toward an improved method of converting two-dimensional (2D) images for further encoding, transmission and decoding for the purpose of stereoscopic image display. The Applicants have previously described in PCT/AU96/00820, a method of producing left and right eye images for a stereoscopic display from an original 2D image including the steps of
a. identifying at least one object within an original image
b. outlining each object
c. defining a depth characteristic for each object
d. respectively displacing selected areas of each object by a determined amount in a lateral direction as a function of the depth characteristic of each object, to form two stretched images for viewing by the left and right eyes of the viewer.
These steps can be individually and collectively referred to as Dynamic Depth Cuing or DDC.